Leopold Recreation Area

Located on the north edge of the city of Burlington is a 235 acre property named after the renowned local-born conservationist, Aldo Leopold. The Leopold Recreation Area lies along, and is partially dissected by Flint Creek approximately 2.5 miles upstream from where the creek empties into the Mississippi River. The property is approximately 1.2 miles west of the Mississippi River at its nearest point.

The property also lies within the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Southeast Iowa Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Area - the first of its kind in the nation.

The Leopold Recreation Area was purchased entirely with grants in 2015. Funding sources include the Iowa DOT Scenic Byways Program, Land and Water Conservation Fund, REAP, Partners for Conservation Foundation, Pheasants Forever, the Witte Foundation and other local contributions.

The property is open to public hunting and other outdoor recreation activities. A number of natural resource management efforts will take place on the property in the coming years. These projects will be combined with education programs in an effort to show the public how proper land management can be applied to lands in Des Moines County.